Light as a Feather
by Lisa Telramor
Summary: Kairi makes a bargain with a witch


**for the prompt- Kairi-Akako: Broom**

The woman before Kairi wasn't the sort of person Kairi usually interacted with. She was bursting with self-confidence, sensuality, and allure with a smirk on her face that invited Kairi to come closer and figure out the joke on the world. Her clothes were made to hide skin strategically, yet reveal enough to taunt the eyes to see that much further. Her magic felt more Dark than Light, but it wasn't steeped in the Darkness the way that made Kairi shiver and remember the end of her world, just dark enough to remind her of the end of twilight, just after the sun goes down and the sky still bled red across the horizon.

That all would have been enough to catch Kairi's attention, but none of that was what caught her. No, it was the broom under her that let her hover just above Kairi's eye level that had her staring.

"You're a witch," Kairi said. It was something Kairi would have expected from Halloween Town, not this nameless world she was exploring now. Then, "Can you teach me how to do that?"

The woman's smirk grew. "Girl, I am a practitioner of the Scarlet Arts, a line of magic that has been passed down through generations. Do you think you could measure up to that?"

Kairi tilted her head back as the witch hovered a bit higher in the air. "I don't know," she said honestly. There was no threat from the woman, only a hungry sort of curiosity. Curiosity that Kairi felt right back. "I've learned some magic already but I don't know how your magic works."

"Scarlet magic tempts the hearts of men, controls wills, brings worlds to your feet with a seduction few can resist. Think you have that in you?"

Kairi considered. "I don't really want to control people, hearts or otherwise. But flying would be pretty cool. Not even Sora can do that without pixie dust."

The witch laughed and brought her broom down to land in front of Kairi. "You're not tempted by power at all, are you?" she asked, her smirk softening into something more amused and less biting.

Kairi smiled back. "Not all power's worth the cost." She'd seen too many of her friends hurt by pushing for power without considering its source. It was enough that she knew better than to take shortcuts or grab power for power's sake. She'd take what power she could get through hard work and working with her nature, not against. And the power this woman described definitely sounded too Dark for Kairi's heart.

"Good answer," the woman replied. "I don't think it would suit you anyway." She held out her broom. "But riding a broom isn't really Scarlet magic. I can feel strong enough magic from you that you should be able to do it."

There was a tingle up Kairi's arm as she took the broom. "Oh." The broom itself was magical.

"It's a few simple spells to get a broom like that," the witch said, with a wave of her hand. "I'll teach you how to make a broom and ride it if you give me something in exchange."

"What in exchange?"

There was no malice at all in the woman at the moment despite her darkness, and that was why Kairi felt comfortable enough to hear her proposal. Riku would be despairing if he was with her. Kairi thought Sora would understand though. He tried to see the best sides of people where Riku was always prepared for people to show their worst.

"A friend of mine disappeared lately," the woman said. "I think he might have slipped into one of the cracks between worlds and," she looked Kairi up and down, "since you aren't from this world, I think you might be able to help me find a way to find him."

Kairi bit her lip. "Information about how to reach other worlds?" she asked.

"No." The woman shook her head. "I can do that on my own just fine. Another pair of eyes looking for my friend on the other hand…"

"Oh good," Kairi said releasing a breath. "I can do that." She wasn't supposed to reveal she was from other worlds, that other worlds existed, or interfere with the worlds she came to. But since the witch already knew about them, Kairi wasn't going to worry too much.

The witch smiled. It was a genuine smile with no sharp edges at all. She held out a charm made up of red gemstones and tiny gold filigree that made up the shape of an ornate feather, the stones making up its shaft and a bright spot on the end. "My friend likes to change faces and cause mayhem, but sometimes he is a thief in a white suit with a cape, top hat, and monocle."

The description had clothing that she wasn't familiar with, but Kairi was willing to bet someone in the worlds she had visited would know what a top hat and monocle were. She nodded.

"Give him the charm if you find him," the witch said. "It will help guide him home."

Oh, like the charm she gave Sora, or Aqua's wayfinders… Kairi tucked the charm into her pocket. "I'll do my best to get it to him."

The witch smiled and leaned closer to kiss Kairi on the cheek. There was a tingle of magic in it, like the sealing of a deal, more startling than the act itself. "Thank you. I, Koizumi Akako, last practitioner of the Scarlet Arts, promise to teach you to fly a broom in return."

There was formality and ritual in how she said it, so Kairi did her best to mimic it as she said, "And I, Kairi, keyblade wielder of the Light, promise to keep my eyes open for your friend and give him the charm if I find him." She mimicked the kiss on the cheek clumsily. It sparked with magic again, and there was a settling, like a net thrown over them as the deal was complete. Riku would be pissed with her later. It was a promise she didn't think she'd have trouble keeping though.

"Wonderful," Akako said. "The friend's name is Kuroba Kaito, but he sometimes goes by Phantom Thief Kid. Now, let's get down to that lesson…"

Kairi followed her, thrumming with excitement. It was no great burden to keep an eye out for someone when she was traveling worlds anyway. Sora was going to be so jealous when she came back able to fly a broom.


End file.
